About
The character '嫡' originated in the context of traditional familial hierarchy, where it specifically referred to the principal wife, with its structure combining the woman radical '女' and the phonetic component '啇'. Initially centered on this marital distinction, its meaning expanded over time to encompass the concept of legitimate and direct descent, thereby differentiating offspring from the primary marriage from those of secondary unions. This semantic broadening allowed the term to be applied metaphorically to denote orthodox lineages or direct derivations from an original source in various cultural contexts. Throughout its usage history, the character's form has remained unchanged, and its core associations with legitimacy and direct lineage continue to inform its modern applications.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他是家族的嫡长子。
这位嫡子继承了大笔财产。
他是公司嫡系的管理人员。
嫡传弟子得到了真传。
在古代，嫡子拥有优先继承权。
作为嫡亲孙子，他深受祖父的宠爱。
嫡系部队在战争中发挥了关键作用。
尽管他是嫡出，但家族企业最终由能力更强的庶子接管。